Is the Sellwood Bridge part of your commute? Heads up on new detour

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PORTLAND, Ore. - A reconstruction project on the Sellwood Bridge is about to get a little more complicated as crews start working on a new interchange at the west end of the bridge.

Almost 25 percent of all vehicles that use the westbound Sellwood Bridge want to go south to Lake Oswego and right now they do that by taking a small connecting ramp. But that ramp will close Tuesday morning and anyone who wants to go south will have to go north first.

It's an unusual detour and it may frustrate drivers. But project leaders say it's the only way to detour traffic because space is limited at the construction site. They predict this will add just a few minutes to commute times on weekday mornings.

Bicyclists and pedestrians will still be able to use a narrow pathway on the side of the roadway for a few more months. In November, a temporary traffic signal at the west end of the bridge will help them get across Highway 43.